hello DiD I've followed your post with interest. It could have been written by me! We took in a cat from the forum, a woman who couldn't look after it - she then told us she had taken it in as a stray. She moved into the upstairs and our other cat lived downstairs, it was this was for around 6 months before they integrated. She was quite vicious, would swipe at your feet as you walked past and I would end up with a cat attached to my feet. My daughter was scared of walking past her. The cat was clearly not used to living in a home. Now, she's fine and very loving but independent. She will still "get me" if I stroke her - no way of guessing when she'll have had enough, sometime she's fine, other times she just attacks my hands - but still normal cat behaviour. I brush her a lot too, she likes that. I tell her NO when she scratches me and she stops. I trim her claws too. First time, wrapped her in a towel and had help to hold her - it actually seemed to calm her down. I suppose what calmed her down was that we still included her - so we say No to scratching, but would get something for her to play with instead. Gentle persistence and consistent behaviour - and treats. I think she needs to learn to trust you and is probably still adjusting. I would make sure she has somewhere high up to escape to, plenty of treats when she's good (they are intelligent and do know, if you teach them what is and isn't ok). The fellway plug in is great.